Czech army to deploy medical personnel, instructors in Iraq

PRAGUE – Czech lawmakers have approved a government plan to send medical personnel and additional military instructors to Iraq.

In a 134-0 vote on Thursday, the lawmakers in Parliament's lower house agreed to deploy in December a surgical field team of up to 17 people at a U.S. Navy's base located some 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Mosul where the Iraqi forces with allies launched a campaign to retake the city from the Islamic State group.

The Czechs will go to Iraq in December to treat injured Iraqi and coalition soldiers.

The deployment has already been approved by Parliament's upper house.

In 2017, the country will also deploy instructors to Iraq depending on the needs of the Iraqi armed forces. Earlier this year, the Czechs sent 31 instructors to Iraq.